The present invention relates to monoclonal antibodies specific for Trichomonas vaginalis. More specifically, this invention relates to hybridomas which produce monoclonal antibodies specific for T. vaginalis antigenic determinants and which are cytolytic to this pathogenic microorganism. This invention relates to the use of monoclonal antibody for treatment of trichomoniasis.
Trichomoniasis is a chronic disease of the urogenital tract caused by Trichomonas vaginalis. It is the most common of all sexually transmitted diseases and is responsible for a significant economic and emotional burden among infected individuals in this country and the world. In women, trichomonal vaginitis is characterized by inflammation of vaginal epithelium, foul-smelling discharge, and tissue cytopathology. Most men are asymptomatic. Disease manifestations such as urethritis, prostatitis, balanoposthitis, and others, however, have been documented in infected men.
Current clinical diagnosis of trichomoniasis based on microscopic detection of the parasite is tedious, time consuming, highly inadequate, and expensive. These diagnosis limitations exacerbate already limited medical care in rural health clinics in our country and the world. Thus, basic research is necessary to address relevant issues such as development of sensitive, accurate assays for screening symptomatic as well as asymptomatic patients and perhaps monitoring disease progression. The development of potential vaccinogen and antibacterial candidates is equally important and necessary.
Further, the emergence of trichomoniasis as a major sexually transmitted disease has necessitated identification of the virulence factors associated with the surface of T. vaginalis. The use of conventional immunological methods has failed to identify specific virulence determinants or antigens.
It, therefore, is highly desirable to provide monoclonal antibody to T. vaginalis antigens. Such antibodies would be important in the differential diagnosis of trichomoniasis disease in humans, in the purification of specific immunogens for subsequent use as vaccines, and studying the structure and function of immunogenic components of virulent T. vaginalis.
While treatment of most women infected with T. vaginalis with metronidazole (Flagyl) or other imidazole drugs is highly efficacious, no treatment is provided for pregnant women. These drugs are known to cause cancer in laboratory animals and are teratogenic to the growing embryo and fetus. For this reason, alternative means for treatment are important and needed. Therefore, a monoclonal antibody which is cytolytic to intact live organisms would be important in abrogating existing disease in an untreated human subpopulation. Equally important would be the utility of such a reagent for emerging drug-resistant strains.